Connecting with Farmers: 2024 Farm Voice Insights

As agri-marketers, we continually work to keep up with the evolving communications preferences of farmers. Whether through videos, radio, social media or chatting with a friend at the coffee shop, understanding how farmers like to stay informed ensures we can provide the best strategies and recommendations to our clients.  

As part of our 2024 Annual Community Survey, 114 Farm Voice members participated in a survey on media use. Our questions centered around how farmers prefer to learn about new products and product information. Some of our key findings from the survey include:  

Across all social media platforms, YouTube was the most popular amongst both U.S. and Canadian producers. Long form videos (such as those on YouTube) are considered one of the top two most informative and engaging content forms.

The least trusted media channel for information outside of agriculture was influencers and social media. 

Podcasts are the most underutilized platform, with a majority of respondents not having an opinion and/or not using it for information. 

Emails, phone calls, and in-person (farm visits) are the top three most-preferred methods of communication with retailers, merchandisers and sales representatives among both U.S. and Canadian producers. 

Social Media

Specific to social media, our survey showed that grower trust in X (previously Twitter) declined among all age groups. Younger audiences typically use the platform for entertainment and current events, while older audiences use it for current events and tend to have a more negative sentiment, labelling it as the “rumor mill.” 

YouTube and Facebook were among the most trusted social media sites, although trust in social media content overall was lower compared to other methods of communicating agriculture-related information, including phone calls and in-person visits. YouTube usage is continually on the rise with our Farm Voice members, and we’ve noted an uptick in Instagram usage as well. 

When it comes to learning about new ag products and technologies, online news outlets and ag company websites are the preferred media channels. 

Considering the lack of trust for social media channels, agricultural companies should evaluate how they can best connect and engage with their audience on each channel. We work with our clients to tailor optimal content for different social media channels, considering how farmers prefer to use them and focusing on content that humanizes brands and showcases the people behind them. 

If you’re interested in exploring how you can improve communication with your audience, get in touch with our team of experts to dig deeper.​